Review: #66 Becca's Bavarian (German Hefeweisse)

There is just something so refreshing about a well made Hefeweissen.  And when I say Hefeweissen, I don't mean that bland, unfiltered Wheat beer crap from America that stole and destroyed the name of a great beer style.  I mean a real Hefeweissen, turbid, yeasty, bursting with aromas and flavors of over ripe bananas, cloves, and vanilla, layered over crackery malts, and hints of bubble gum, with a tart and dry finish, crisp, refreshing.  On a hot Summer's eve sitting on the deck drinking a glass of Hefe with it's huge billowing head filling the top third of the proper glassware is a wonderful thing.  And it pays that my wife loves them too.

Look:  2/3
Pours a light golden, lightly hazy, hue under a thick moussey white head with tight small bubbles.  Head fades fairly quickly to a thick cap and leaves lots of chunky lace.  Carbonation bubbles flutter up through the beer. 

Aroma:  7/12

Ripe banana jumps out of the glass on first sniff at a medium intensity.  A medium-low note of vanilla bean follows, as well as a medium level of spicy clove.  Low levels of crackers, chex, and light bread crust linger under the fruits and spices.  Mild wafts of strawberries round out the finish.  The aromas could pop some more which would make this beer shine.

Flavor:   15/20
Tastes just like a banana milk shake.  Medium-high banana esters give way to low levels of wheat chex, a nice medium spicy clove note, and even a touch of cinnamon.  There is a light bubble gum, and mild tartness as well, no bitterness.

Mouthfeel:  2/5
The beer is juicy, with a medium body, and a spritzy, dry, crisp finish, touch of phenols.  Carbonation needs to be higher as it is fairly low to style.

Overall:  6/10
Wonderful marriage of banana and clove, neither one dominates the other.  The mild notes of vanilla, wheat, and bubble gum play well and add a level of complexity.  A few things to work on is the carbonation, haze, and head.  Bottle conditioning a Hefeweisse works much better as you are really able to get that higher level of carbonation that drives much of the aromatics up out of the glass more and would help increase the head retention.  It also gives you the ability to swirl the yeast up and add to the glass which is very hard to do with a keg.

32/50

Recipe: Becca's Bavarian (German Hefeweisse)

Every so often you hit it spot on.  Everything comes together to make a magical concoction of malt, hops, and yeast.  My Bavarian Hefe that I brewed nearly 2 years ago was such a beer.  The perfect flavor blend of banana and cloves, a smidgen of vanilla, light, bready, highly carbonated, effervescent   My wife loved it, as did I, and it was sad to see it go.  I have longed to brew it again, and my wife has longed for the day I would.  On Valentine's Day she gave me my present, an extra brew day to make my Hefeweissen, and a twist, she wanted me to teach her to brew it.  Sweet!  

Review: Cavendish & Cloves Collide

Yes, this review is long overdue, like, 14 months overdue.  I brewed this Hefeweisse the last weekend in March of 2011.  First double batch, first step mash, first time culturing yeast from bottles, first open fermentation.  Lots of firsts.  Also a last... the last bottle.  I enjoyed the last bottle of my hefe on 4th of July with breakfast: Chocolate Clove French Toast.  The pairing was heavenly.  As I enjoyed the aroma and flavor of the beer, and paired it with the meal, I decided it needed a review, something to compare with when I rebrew this beer, as I will do soon.  I had forgotten how much I loved the beer, and was glad to get the itch to brew a new one.

Look: Pours a crystal clear goldenrod with a huge billowing white head until the yeast get swirled in and it goes murky and the head turns light beige with flecks of brown in it.  Carbonation roles up the middle of the hefe glass and keeps the head lasting to the very end.  Faint lacing.

Aroma: Smells of over-ripe bananas and clove.  The esters and phenols are balanced and very prominent as they should be.  Hints of vanilla and strawberries come up as well, mild bubblegum.  Sweet malt.  No hops.

Taste: Taste mirrors the nose with lots of banana and clove, touch of cinnamon, a little strawberry and bubblegum, fresh cereal, sweet malts, grainy.  Tart.  No hop presence.

Mouthfeel:  Rich and creamy, big carbonation dances on the tongue keeping it light, dryish finish, sweet, just enough bitterness to balance.

Overall:  Very impressed with how this beer turned out and how it held up since everyone says they have to be drank fresh.  Big banana and clove, both in balance, light vanilla and bubblegum, tart finish, big carbonation and great head, light malt sweetness and graininess.  Biggest problem (not from age, it was in the beer 14 months ago as well) is the lack of protein haze.  Without swirling up the dregs and adding them to the glass this beer is crystal clear.  The lacing is lacking as well, but could be from the age.